Controlling electric motors.



No. 739,776. BATENTED SEPT; 22, 1903.

v H. w. BUCK.

CONTROLLING ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATIOI IILY-D AUG. 9. 1901.

K0 XODEL- Wrbhssseg. Y 5 Inventor. 7 47. HaroldWBuck a I z F 9 bgMu V rqctu. I

in; 739,778. I UNITED STATES i -chanted September 22, w ATENT QFF CE.

HAROLD w. BUCK, or NIAGARA rfifimsw YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL srno'rsro COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW Y RK.

CONTROLLING ELECTRIC Morons.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 739,776, dated September 22, 1903. Original application filed November 17, 1900, Serial No. 86,810. Divided and this application Bled August 9, 19b1- Serial .To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, HAROLD W. BUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls,'county of Niagara, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Con trolling Electric Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 36,810, filed November 17, 1900.

My present invention relates to means for produciuga predetermined movement at a distant poi at and comprises an improved system especially adapted for use in ship-steering as a means for controlling from the pilot house the movement of the rudder, although it is not limited to such application.

Myinvention will be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, while its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, which is a diagrammatic representation of my controlling system as applied to ship-steering, A indicates a steering-wheel, which may be located at any desired point on the ship and which is connected by any suitable gearing (indicated in the drawing by the'dotted-line connection a) to 0 one of the members of a controlling device or switch B. As shown, the steering-wheel is connected to the member I) of the switch B,this member being provided with two contacts, which are connected through collecting rings and brushes to the conductors 3 and 4. The other member'of the switch is provided with two sets of circularly-arranged contacts b b and 11 I2, which are roversely connected with the mains and (which may be the lighting-mains of the ship) by means of the conductors 1 and 2.

The conductors 3 and 4 are led through a cable to the armature of a pilot-motor C, of which the field-windin g is con nected,by means 5 of conductors 5 and 6, to a suitable source of direct-current supply-25, for example, the mains and In some of the claims this I motor is referred to as a second? motor.

(No model.)

The motor 0 is operatively connected, by means of any suitable gearing.-a pinion and 5e segmental rack, as shown in the drawing-to the valve-gear of a reversible engineK, which is arranged to drive a generator L,v connected to supply current to the main motor E. The

motor C therefore controls the operation of the main motor.

In the construction shown the armature shat: of the motor (3 is geared to a rack c, which is slidingly'n'iountcd on a support c and is normally maintained in the position shown in the drawing by the springs c and c. The rack c is connected to a Stevenson link-motion, and as it is moved to one or the other of its extreme positions by the motor C the valves of the engine K are moved so as to cause the engine to rotate the armatures of the dynamo L in one direction or the other, and therefore to supply current in one direction or the other to th motor E.

The motor E is locni-iadjacent to the rud- 7oder and is connected the ruddorF through any suitable gearing, as shown, through the worm e and pinion c Adjacent to the rudder is located a transmitting device G, comprising a plurality of rheostats g and the contacts of which are arranged in a circle. Each of the two rheostats is connected at its middle point to one of the mains and through the conductors l3 and 14. inclusive, are suitably supported for rotation over the contacts of the rheostats, and each of these brushes is connected, through a collecting ring and brush, to -one of the conductor's 15 to 18, inclusive, which lead through a cable to the winding of an electromotive device II, located adjacent to the switch B. The connection between the rudder F and the transmitting device G may be made by means of any suitable gearing and is indicated in the drawing by the gearsf' and f'-, the former of which is connected to the rudder-post and the latter to the rotating member of the transmitting device.

The motive device H comprises two men hers, one of which is polarized in a definite A plurality of brushes 9" to g, 80-

direction by means of current supplied from the mains and through the conductors 19 and 20 and the other of which is provided with a winding so connected to the conductors 15 to 18, inclusive, that the said member will be polarized in successively-advancing positions as the rotatable membcrof the trans- I mitting device G is advanced by the moveflowing from the -lmain ment of the rudder.

As shown, the transmitting device G is provided with but four brushes, thcdinmotricaily opposite brushes being connected to diamet-- rically opposite points in the winding 71 of the motive dovico ll. it is of course evident that any desired nutnborof brushes and connecting-conductors may be used.

In the particular position of. the transmitting device indicated in the drawing current through the conductor 13 to the middle pointut the rlteostat g will divide equally, a part llowing through the brush g and the conductor 15 to the point It in the winding it, another part flowing through the brush and the conductor 18 to the point It in the winding It, the returncircitit leading through the portion of the winding 7: between the points h and It and 7t and h and back by way of conductors 16 and 17 and brushes g and g to tho rheostnt g and thence to the conductor 14, connected to the main. The fixed member of the motive device II will therefore be polarized by current flowing from the mains and through the transmitting device G and the winding h of the motive device along the line to u, and tlierotatable member] of the said motivede vice will be positively held in the position shown in the drawing.

As the'brushcs ot' the transmitting device are rotated the line of polarization will be gradually shifted, and when the brushes 9 and g of the transmitting device lie directly under the middle points of the rhcostats g' and g current will be supplied through the conductors 15 and 17 only, and the fixed member of the motive device It will be polarized along the line joining the points h and It.

urther rotation of the transmitting device will cause the line of polarization of the fixed member of the motive device ll to gradually shift until when the brushes g and g lie opposite the middle points of the rhcostats g' and g, respectively, current will be supplied to the winding of the said motive device through the conductors 16 and 18 only, and

the fixed member of the said motive device will be polarized along the line joining the points h and h, and so on as 'the rotatable member of the transmitting device is rotated.

The rotatable member of the motive device H is connected by means of any suitable gcnring-as shown, through the gears r' and -Z"--to that member of the switch 15 on which the contacts b to 11', inclusive, are mounted, so that as the brushes of the transmitting device are moved by the rudder this member of the switch B will be correspondingly orsynchtononsly moved by the motive device H.

- Theoperationoithes'ystem abovedoscribed 7 7 is as follows: Supposing the steering-wheel A to be rotated to the left, for example, by,

any predetermined amount, the member I) of the switch B will be correspondingly rotated and its contacts will be caused to move over the contacts b and I) by an amount dependent upon the movement given to the SWGI'O ing-wheel. Current will then be supplied from the mains and through the con doctors I 2, the contacts I) I and the contacts on the member]; of the switch B to the conductors 3 4, which lead to the armature of motor C, and the said motor will be caused to rotate in one direction-say right-hand edly-eo as to move the rack c and the reversing-gear k of the engine K into one of its extreme positions. This will cause the engine to start the dynamo L in rotation to supply current to the motor E. he motor E will start and will move the rudder through the gearing already described. The rudder in moving will cause the brushes of the transmitting device to rotate over the contacts of the two rheostats g and g, and the polarization of the fitted member of the motive de- 1:

vice II will be'grad ually shit ted, thereby causing the member of said motive deviceto move by an amount corresponding to the movement. of the rudder and to rotate the member of the switch B, on which the contacts I! and b are mounted, to the left until tiuall the circuit is broken between the contacts and b' and the contacts carried by the member b.

Then this pointis reached in the movement of the switch B, the circuit of the motor (3 will be opened, and the springs c and a will return the membercto its off position, thereby moving the reversing-gear of the engine K into its mid-position anstopping the engine and the dynamo L. "the motor E will then come to rest.

The ratio of the gearing between the rudder F and the transmitting device G to the gearing betwecntho motive device 11 and the switch B is so chosen that when the rudder has been moved by an amount corresponding to the movement given to the steering-wheel Athe mcmbersof the switch l5 will be brought to the relative position shown in the drawing The switch 33 and the motive device are preferably arranged beneath the'deck adjacentto the pilot-house or bridge and the motor E and the transmitting device G adjacent to the rudder. The engine K and its dynamo L may evidently also be located at any desired point in the ship; but they are preferably cated in the dynamo or engine room.

I have not attempted to illustrate any details of construction of the apparatus which goes to make up thesystem which constitutes my present invention, for the reason that such KIO Patent of the United States, is-- 1. The combination of a body to be moved,

an electric motor operatively connected thereto, an engine-driven generator connected in circuit with said motor, an electromotive de vice controlling the valve-gear of said engine, a switch controlling the supply of current ii-om a suitable source to the said electrometive device,a handle foroperatingsaids'witch, and means, controlled by the body, to be moved, foropeuing said switch when the said body has been moved by an amount corresponding to the movement of the switchopcrating handle.

2. In combinatiomabodytobe moved}. main electric motor operatively connected thereto,

an engine-driven generator electrically connected to said main motor,'a pilot-motor for actuating the valve-gear .of'said engine, a svritch for said'pilot-motor, a synchronous electromotive} device operstively connected 4 to said switch, and means for operating said device in accordance with the movement of the body to be operated.

3. In combination, an electric motor, an en-' gins-driven generator electrically connected to said motor, a valve-gear by the operation of which the said engine may bestarted and stopped, and a pilot-motor for operating said v'slve-gear. l M

1 In combination, a body to be moved, an

electric motor op'eratively connected'thereto,

an engine-driven generator electrically con nected to said mbtor, a valve-gear by the operation of which the said engine may be started and stopped, a pilot-motor for operating the valve-gear, and a switch located at anydesired point for controlling the operation of said pilot-motor.

5. In combination, a body to be moved, an electric motor operatively connected thereto, an engine-driven generator electrically connected to said motor, a valve-gear by the operation of which the said engine may be started and stopped, a pilot-motor for operrating the valvegear, a switch located at any desired point for controlling the operation of said pilot-motor, and means for opening said switch when the body to be moved has been moved by the desired amount.

6. In combination, a body to be moved, an electric motor operatively connected to said body, an engine-driven generator electrically connectedto said motor, s pile i eratin the valve-gear of said engi for closing the circuit of said pilot-motor,' and a synchronous electromotive device for opening said switch, said device being opera tively connected to one of the members of said switch, and electrically connected toa suitable source through a controlling-switch operated by the' body to be moved.

7. In combination, on electric motor, an engine-driven generator electrically connected to said motor, a reversing valve-gear by the operation of which the said engine maybe started, stopped and reversed, a. pilot-motor for operating the valve-gear, and means for controlling; the operation of said pilot-motor.

8. In combination, an electric motor, aneugine-driven generator electrically connected to said motor, a reversing valve-gear for the engine, a pilot-motor for operating the valvegear, and means tending to maintain the valve-gear normally at a zero position such that. the engine will not run.

' 9. In combination, a main electric motor, an engine-driven generator electrically conne'cted to said motor, a. reversing valve-gear for the engine, an electrically-operated pilotmotor for actuating the valve-gear, a switch for controlling the operation of said pilot-m0- tor, and menus controlled by the main motor or opening said switch.

10. In combination with apparatusto beadju'sted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an

electric generator connected to actuate the motor, means for starting the generator by power in either direction at will, and means roe connected to be actuated with the motor for stopping the generator.

11. In combination with apparatus tobecdjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to actuate the motor, means for starting the generator "at will, an'd an electric motorsynchrononsly connected with the said motor for stopping the adjusting pperstion.

12. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted,'and with a prime valved motor therefor, meausior adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, electrical means for convert ingand transmitting energy therefrom, a sec- ,ond motor connected to be actuated by the.

said transmitted energyfor adjusting thesaid apparatus to be adjusted, and automatic means for readjusting the said valve to sto the said valved motor.

13. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, and with a prime valvedmotor therefor, means for adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, means for converting and transmitting energy therefrom, a second mo tor connected to be actuated by the said transmitted energy for adjusting the said apparatus to be adj usted, and a third motor connected tobe actuated simultaneously with the said second motor, and connected to adjust the said valve to stop the said valved motor.

14. In combination with apparatus to be ad jnsied from a distance, a prime motor there In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of August, 1901.

I IAROLD W. BUCK,

Witnesses:

II. B. Booms, M. WILLson. 

